The Check Collector

THE CHECK COLLECTOR

Number 109

THE CHECK COLLECTOR

January - March 2014

Editor: Robert D. Hohertz

PO Box 808

Northfield, MN 55057-0808
rdh@northfieldmail.com

Advertising Manager: All advertising should be channeled
through the Treasurer, Dick Naven. Dick's address is on the
following page.

The Check Collector (ISSN 1066-3061) is published
quarterly by the American Society of Check Collectors, 473
East Elm, Sycamore, IL 60178-1934. Subscription only by
membership, dues $15 per year in the US ($20 per year in
Canada and Mexico, $25 elsewhere). Periodicals postage
paid at Northfield, MN 55057 and additional mailing offices.
POSTMASTER: send address changes to '.The Check
Collector , 473 East Elm, Sycamore, IL 60178-1934. All
rights reserved.

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To our members:

Write something for The Check Collector ! We need articles
about checks, check-related subjects, and fiscal documents.

We retype all material that does not respond to OCR.
Illustrations require an original or a good, clear, color copy,
preferably as large as can be obtained. A clear black
and white copy is acceptable, but we greatly prefer color.
Original checks sent in are copied and returned carefully.
Any questions, ask the Editor!

To our advertisers:

Deadline for advertising copy to run in the April - June issue
of The Check Collector is May 15.

The Check Collector is an effective means of reaching the
check collecting hobby, and our membership of collectors
and dealers of checks and related financial documents. It
contains feature articles about checks and check collecting
and news about the hobby.

Advertising orders must be paid in advance and shall be
restricted to checks and related fiscal documents, publications,
accessories, and supplies. The ASCC accepts advertising in
good faith, reserving the right to edit copy. Copy for ads
must be camera-ready or the Editor will set it as best he can.

ASCC assumes no financial responsibility for typographical
errors in advertising. However, it will reprint that portion
of an advertisement in which a typographical error appeared
upon prompt notification of such error.

All advertisements and payments should be submitted
to the Treasurer.

Contents

First National Bank of Houston - Gibson
A Little Bull - Woodworth
Yet another thing - Poleske
Territorial Paper - Adams
Safety Tints - Reynard
Letter to the Editor - Erase
Arizona Notes - Dill
Inventory Update - C19 - Hohertz
More Bull - Hohertz
Pennsylvania Banks 24 - Robin
Announcements - Ivester
Treasurer’s Report - Naven
Secretary’s Report - Hensley
Member Exchange

VISIT OUR WEBSITE
www.ascheckcollectors.org

We welcome a new author, Mike Gibson, to this
quarter's magazine, and look forward to more
information on Texas banks from him. Don
Woodworth is represented by another of his
entertaining and well-researched articles (no bull!),
and we can read about blotters, tints and banking in
the Territory of Nebraska.

And don't forget - you can see all this in color by
going to our website, www.ascheckcollectors.org
and signing in to the Reading Room. Use the ID
of Reader and the password ASCC 1874. Both are
case sensitive.

Advertising rates are as follows:

One quarter page $25.00/issue

Business card size $ 15.00/issue

$10 discount for four issues paid at once,

J

THE CHECK COLLECTOR is a quarterly publication of the ASCC.

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Number 109

THE CHECK COLLECTOR

January - March 2014

THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF CHECK COLLECTORS, INC.

A non-profit organization organized under Section 501-(c)-(3)

President:

Hermann Ivester
5 Leslie Circle
Little Rock, AR 72205-2529
ivesters@swbell.net

Vice-President:

Donald Woodworth
1104 Timber Run
O’Fallon, IL 62269-3127
don.woodworth@att.net

Secretary:

Lyman Hensley
473 East Elm
Sycamore, IL 60178-1934
ilrno2@netzero.net

Treasurer:

Dick Naven
PO Box 80830
Portland, OR 97280-1830
ascctreasurer@qwestoffice.net

Departments:

Attorney:

Hermann Ivester

5 Leslie Circle

Little rock, AR 72205-2529

Check Pool:

no current incumbent

Editor, The Check Collector.
Bob Hohertz - see previous page

Historian:

Peter Martin
PO Box 6074
Fredericksburg, VA 22403

Librarian:

Charles V. Kemp
PO Box 71892
Madison Hts, MI 48071

Security Printers:

William G. Kanowsky
1417 Savannah Dr.

Evansville, IN 47714

Website: http ://ascheckcollectors. org
Dues:

US: $15 per year
Canada, Mexico: $20 per year
Elsewhere: $25 per year
US First Class Mail: $20 per year
Internet Only: $13 per year

Security Printers Guide:

$5 in looseleaf form - order from
William G. Kanowsky, address in
middle column.

The Guide can also be downloaded or
printed from the ASCC website, free.

Directors:

Lyman Hensley (2016)
Robert D. Hohertz (2016)
Hermann Ivester (2016)

M. S. Kazanjian (2016A6)
Coleman Leifer (2015)
Peter Martin (2015)

Dick Naven (2015)

Donald Woodworth (2015)
Lee E. Poleske (Emeritus)

Slide Program:

Larry Adams
812 1/2 Story St.
Boone, IA 50036

Membership Interests

1. Checks, general

2. Checks, USA

3. US Government Checks

4. Miscellaneous Fiscals:

Bank Drafts
Bills of Exchange
Certificates of Deposit
Promissory Notes
Warrants

Receipts

5. Checks, Great Britian

6. Checks, Canada

7. Checks, World

8. Travelers Checks & Money Orders

9. Specimen Checks

10. Ration Checks

11. Refund/Rebate Checks

12. Other

14. Counter & Modem Checks

20. Vignettes

21. Autographs

22. Railroads, Steamboats, Mining

23. Banking History

24. Security Printing & Printers

25. Check Protectors & Cancel
Devices

26. Wells Fargo History

30. Stock & Bond Certificates

31. Revenue Stamped Documents

32. Emergency Scrip

THE CHECK COLLECTOR is a quarterly publication of the ASCC.

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The First National Bank of Houston

By Mike Gibson

The First National Bank of Houston was chartered in March 22, 1866 with $100,000 capital as the third national bank in
Texas with charter number 1644. Thomas M. Bagby president; William N. Cook, cashier and H.TR. Percy, vice president.

B. A. Shepherd, banker, at Houston, Texas, was elected President of the First National Bank of Houston on July 1, 1867
upon the resignation of Thomas M. Bagby. At the same time Mr. A. Wettermark was elected cashier in place of William N.
Cooke, who also resigned, The capital stock paid in to this bank was still $ 100,000 with an authorized capital of $300,000.

Benjamin A. Shepherd (1814 - 1891), probably the first man in the area to engage strictly in the banking business, began
his carrer in Houston in 1854 as the ’’Benjamin A. Shepherd, Exchange and Collection Office.’’

Figure 1. A steel engraving of Benjamin A. Shepherd by the American Bank Note Company.

Shepherd was an early investor in the Houston East and West Texas Railroad, a narrow gauge railroad that triggered the
founding of a number of towns as it was extended northward. One of these towns was, not surprisingly, named Shepherd.
Shepherd was also a Trustee of the Houston and Texas Central Railroad Company, which apparently fell on hard times, as
it defaulted on its first mortgage bonds in 1885 and was sued by at least some of its stockholders. Shepherd was named as
a defendant in the court case, which was written up in the Supreme Court Reporter, and lawsuits must have plagued him
during the last years of his life.

Let’s look at some checks printed for the First National Bank.

The first example, Figure 2, is a check printed in the very early 1880’s by W.H. Coyle, Houston, steam printers and
binders. Coyle also printed such things as ’’Charter and by-laws of the Houston East and West Texas Railway Company:
with a description of the counties immediately upon and adjacent to its line ,” so it is likely that they had a good business
relationship with Shepherd.

Figure 2 (next page). Note that this check was payable only in gold.

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Figure 3. Another check printed by W.H. Coyle. This one was written for payment in silver to S.S. Ashe, who was Sheriff
of Houston, 1873-76.

Figure 4. Check printed by Clarke & Courts, Galveston.

Sidney C. Olive and John Abraham Sternenberg formed the Olive, Sternberg company which manufactured wooden rails
from 1881 until 1912, when the surrounding forests had all been logged. The town that surrounded the mill was called
Olive, and had a brass band, saloon, company store, and segregated churches and schools. Reputedly the saloon closed at
6:00 p.m.!

Olive is now a ghost town, and some of the forest has returned. The demand for wooden rails has not.

The payee, Preston & Stauffer, was a wholesale merchant in New Orleans.

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Figure 5. First National Bank check printed by Clarke & Courts, Galveston.

Figure 6. This card shows the First National Bank in downtown Houston, 1907. At that time, the seven story steel-framed
structure was Houston’s tallest building. Today, of course, many buildings in downtown Houston are more than ten times
that height.

Notice the horse-drawn carriage and the trolley car rails. The building opened in January 1905 and was fully occupied by
mid-1905. In 1925, the bank was expanded from Main to Fannin Street. The main lobby of the bank ran thru the building
for the entire block, as you can see in Figure 7.

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Figure 7. The Texas-sized lobby of the First National, running an entire block in length.

Figure 8. The First National was charging ten percent interest on loans secured by a certificate of deposit in 1915.

The First National was placed into voluntary liquation on June 21, 1933 and reorganized into the First National Bank in
Houston with charter number 13683.

This bank was ailing in 1956 when it was acquired, or the ’’biggest coup” was pulled off, by James A. Elkins, as was later
trumpeted by American Banker , when his City National Bank of Houston acquired its competitor, First National Bank.
Judge Elkins, as he was known, founded the City National Bank of Houston in 1920. First National had nearly twice the
deposits as rival City National at the time of acquisition. The offices of First National were moved into the City National
Bank building.

After that, the First National building was purchased by Lomas & Nettleton, mortgage bankers. The building was converted
into the Franklin Lofts. On the ground floor a colonnaded banking hall, with columns reaching 35 feet to the ceiling, still
extends through the whole block. During the building’s conversion to the Franklin Lofts, the banking hall was restored as
an event space, with the addition of a marble double staircase leading to the mezzanine. The building still stands today.

The City National became part of the First City Bank Corporation which collapsed in 1992, whereupon the FDIC took
control of it.

THE CHECK COLLECTOR is a quarterly publication of the ASCC.

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A Little Bull Goes a Long Way
By Don Woodworth

I lost my Dad in 1996 but still remember an expression he used when the blarney level of a conversation began to exceed
his credulity level - “A Little Bull Goes a Long Way.” Dad, if you’re listening, this article is for you. (-:

Thus, I could not resist buying this Illinois RN-G1 draft with the vignette of the bull on the left hand side of the draft (Figure
1). It obviously made me think of my Dad’s aphorism but it also clearly reminded me or a rural area of Illinois which, in
2013, is probably still almost as rural as it was in 1881. I was not familiar with the name of the town Tallula printed at
the top of the draft but indeed recognized the name of Petersburg written in manuscript at the lower left. Petersburg is a
town of some fame amongst railroad enthusiasts for the steep west-bound grade that trains must ascend when heading out
of town toward Havana and Pekin, IL along the tracks of the Chicago & Illinois Midland (Illinois Midland since 1996).

Figure 1. RN-G1 draft of Willson & Greene, Bankers of Tallula, Menard County, Illinois.

Figure 2. Another draft of Willson & Greene with a different bull

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The town of Tallula took a bit of research. I learned that five men, William G. Greene, J. G. Greene, Richard Yates,
T. Baker, and W. G. Spears, laid out Tallula in late 1857. The name of 'Tallula" was said to be an Indian word. The
History of Menard & Mason Counties, Illinois credits Mr. Spears with assigning the name, and notes that it supposedly
meant "dropping water." Nothing in the area is especially related to dropping water, so the Menard County tourist bureau
alternately claims that William G. Greene named the town, and that name actually meant "trickling water" as related to
"abundant springs in the area."

Tallula was incorporated as a village under Illinois' general municipal law in 1871-18721. The population was 638 at the
2000 census, so it remains a rather small town. Its population in 1879 was 800 people, so it appears we’re dealing with a
modem take-off of the 1989 film of “Honey, I shmnk the kids (town).” Small it may have been and small it may remain
but it has some interesting historical connections out of all proportion to its size.

Any town worthy of the name soon needed a bank. Based on previous experience in establishing the first bank in Menard
County in conjunction with J. A. Brahm in 1866, it was not a giant leap for the enterprising William G. Greene and
physician J. F. Willson to fill this void by establishing a local bank in May 1877 - Willson & Greene, Bankers.2 The bank
later (sometime after 1881) became the Greene & Greene Bank, under the management of Scott Greene and his son Nelson
Greene, and was later known as the Farmers & Merchants State Bank of Tallula. It is unknown when the bank went out of
business or merged with another firm.

William G. Greene, Jr.

William G. Greene, Jr. lived from 1812-1894. Somewhere along the line, he acquired the nickname “Slicky Bill,” possibly
as a result of his ambition and entrepreneurial nature.3

By September of 1831, Mr. Greene’s parents were living about two miles southwest of New Salem, IL. William, then age
19, was hired by recent arrival Abraham Lincoln (who was only three years older), to help at Lincoln’s mill and store at
New Salem. In early January of 1833, William bought the inventory of Reuben Radford’s store in New Salem. Mr. Lincoln
drew up and witnessed the mortgage for the transaction. On the same day, William sold the same to Abraham Lincoln and
a Mr. Berry, Lincoln’s store partner, for over $600.00. Could this be where the nickname “Slicky Bill” came from??? (-:

When Mr. Lincoln had a debt judgment entered against him in 1834 and was required to surrender his horse as part
payment, William Greene turned in his own horse instead - probably the one that Mr. Lincoln had partially paid him with
in 1833. Later, when Mr. Lincoln became an attorney in Springfield, the Illinois state capitol some 22 miles distant, he paid
William back for this horse and gesture of good will. William Green was also an acquaintance of Richard Yates, later to
become governor of Illinois during the Civil War, and introduced him to Abraham Lincoln, who of course became president
of the United States during the terrible war of 1861-65.

Though Mr. Greene was a Democrat and Mr. Lincoln was a Republican, the two men remained friends. President Lincoln
appointed Mr. Greene as internal revenue collector for the Peoria District. There is an interesting anecdote that colors the
relationship of Messrs. Lincoln and Greene. In Lincoln's New Salem, author Benjamin Thomas relates a story in which
Lincoln introduced Greene to Secretary of State William H. Seward by saying that Greene had taught Lincoln grammar.
When Greene later reminded Lincoln that all Greene had done was held the grammar book and checked the answers, and
was not very good at grammar himself, Lincoln is said to have replied "Well, that was all the teaching of grammar I ever
had. "4

Mr. Green was as apparently as active in his personal life as he was professionally as he and his wife Louisa had nine children.
By March of 1853, Mr. Greene and his wife lived on a farm near Havana, IL. William and Louisa bore considerable sorrow
in their lives as four of their sons and one daughter pre-deceased them. By May or June of 1853, the family moved east to
a point near Tallula and Mr. and Mrs. Greene spent most the remainder of their lives there. As noted earlier, Mr. Greene,
along with Richard Yates, J. G. Greene, T. Baker, and W. G. Spears, laid out the village of Tallula itself in late 1857.

Mr. Green owned extensive tracts of land and was at one time president of the Tonica & Petersburg Railroad. The line
never reached Tonica, instead being diverted to the larger town of Bloomington. The line was later acquired by the Chicago
& Alton RR.

The nearby village of Greenview, about 20 miles northeast of Tallula on the far side of Petersburg, IL, was laid out in
October 1857.5 It was named after William Greene because he had convinced the Chicago, Alton & St. Louis RR to
come through the town. Greenview was incorporated by a special act of the Illinois General Assembly in May 1869. The
railroad, which connected Jacksonville and Bloomington, IL via Petersburg, is now abandoned.

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Mr. Greene built a fine house on North Ewing Street in Tallula in 1891-92 at a cost of $20,000. Eight of its 10 rooms had
fireplaces. The surrounding property was beautifully landscaped with a variety of unusual trees. The greatest social event
to have occurred in Tallula up to that time was reported to be the catered housewarming on Mar 6 1892 when 40 couples
attended for dining and dancing. Sadly, Mr. Greene did not live to enjoy his new home for very long as he died on Jun 30
1894. He was buried in Greenwood Cemetery (East) in Tallula.

Dr. J. F. Wilson (also as Willson)

Dr. J. F. Wilson6 (also noted as Willson per Figure 1) established a medical practice in Tallula ca. 1859. He later became
involved in the incorporation of Tallula as a village under the general laws of Illinois in 1871-72 and served on the first
Board of Trustees. In conjunction with William Greene, he opened the first bank in town as already noted above. By 1879,
he was serving as the town’s treasurer.

John A. Brahm

I find it somewhat curious that the draft is directly made out to John A. Brahm7 and also payable to him for credit against
the account of W. T. Morris. J. A. Brahm was a banker and merchant of Petersburg, IL, bom in Gallatin Co., IL on Feb.
9 1828 and brought to Menard Co., IL in 1830. His family settled north of Petersburg, where they became prominent
citizens. John’s father, a native of Germany, died in 1852, and his mother, from Virginia, in 1862. John’s early life was
spent on the homestead, where he managed to acquire sufficient education to enable him to attend McKendree College in
Lebanon, IL in 1848-49. McKendree is considered the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of Illinois and is still
in business (now as a university) and happily prospering in 2013.

At McKendree, John acquired a good business education which, coupled with his energy and perseverance, helped him
to become a highly respected citizen of Petersburg. His principal business was merchandising and he became one of the
principal owners of the large dry-goods house of Brahm, Lanning & Wright. He was also heavily involved in banking
through the firm of Brahm & Greene, the first banking house in Menard County. There being but one other bank in the
county for a considerable time, Brahm & Greene received an immense patronage. After a number of years Mr. Greene
withdrew and for some time Mr. Brahm ran it alone. Mr. Brahm built a fine stone building on the west side of the square
in Petersburg with a steel vault, burglar and fire alarms, a time-lock, a deposit vault and all the modem conveniences of
the day.

Figure 3. A Petersburg draft from the Banking House of Brahm & Greene, printed by the National Bank Note Company,
New York. See other versions on the cover of this issue.

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Figure 4. An 1882 draft from the Banking House of John A. Brahm, drawing on the Third National Bank of Saint Louis.

Brahm married Eliza B. Rainey of Boydton, VA on Mar 10 1857. They raised a family of five children, living in a pleasant
home in Petersburg on a rise above the town proper that is still called “Brahm’s Hill.”

He did a successful business for some time, but an accommodating nature and overly sympathetic disposition, combined
with other influences, led to his failure and bankruptcy in 1883. He was forced to give up his luxurious home and other
property and, in old age, he and his wife were forced to move to Chicago where some of their children lived. He lived there
until his death in poverty ca. 1905, when his body was returned to Petersburg for burial.

W. T. Morris

No information could be found for W. T. Morris despite trying several permutations of a first name in hopes of a hit on
the internet. It is possible that Mr. Morris had an account with Mr. Brahm’s bank but may have been illiterate and had the
account managed by the bank owner.

Bibliography

1. Tallula, IL http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tallula, Illinois

2. Willson & Greene, Bankers http://www.ebay.com/itm/Tallula-Menard-Co-Ill-Willson-Greene-Bank-1881-RN-Gl-
Very-Rare-Lincoln-Bud-/360708859877

3. Dr. J. F. Wilson (also as Willson)

http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/-ilmaga/menard/1879hist/tallula_village.html

4. Lincoln at New Salem http://www.amazon.com/Lincolns-New-Salem-Benjamin-Thomas/dp/0809313898

5. Greenview, IL http://travel.yahoo.com/p-travelguide-4954687-greenview_il_vacations-i

6. Dr. Willson http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/-ilmaga/menard/1879hist/tallula_village.html

7. John A. Brahm http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/-ilmaga/menard/1879bios/brahm.html

THE CHECK COLLECTOR is a quarterly publication of the ASCC.

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January - March 2014

Yet another thing you don’t see any more...

by Lee Poleske

An announcement on the bank statement from my local Wells Fargo branch bank (or as they call it, local store) said that as
of June 18,2013, American Express® Travelers Cheques, Cheques for Two, and Gift Cheques would no longer be available
through Wells Fargo. I was not surprised, as I have worked as a volunteer at our local museum for many years and have
noticed the precipitous decline in the use of travelers cheques. In the last few years more and more people want to pay their
admission charge with a credit card, and, when told that the museum didn’t accept credit cards, it was surprising how many
of these people had no cash on them.

To get back to the announcement, it prompted me to look at my file on travelers cheques where I came across another
item that you don’t see much any more, ink blotters. Useful when people used fountain pens, before the widespread use
of ball point pens made them obsolete.

Banks, like other businesses, used ink blotters as well as calendars and match books as an inexpensive way to advertise
while giving their customers a useful product for free. Among the items advertised were American Express travelers
cheques (Figures 1 and 2), the benefits of paying by check (Figure 3) and coming events (Figure 4).

PROTECTED TRAVEL FUNDS

You Si3n Them
Here When You
Buy Them.

You Sign Them
Here When You
Spend Them.

No Other^^
Identification
Required.

U.&. DOLLAR TRAVELERS CHEQUE

MUJOgOO*

** AT ITS PAYING AGENCIES

A Prompt
Refund
If Lost
Or Stolen.

Spendable
Everywhere—
Good Until
Used.

SOLD IN NEAT WALLETS HERE

MANUFACTURERS & TRADERS TRUST CO.
Clinton-Bailey Branch Buffalo, New York

Figure 1. Ink blotter used to advertise American Express Company travelers cheques (sic) and the bank that sold them,
Manufacturers & Traders Trust Company of Buffalo, New York.

NIVKR CARRY MORE CASH THAN YOU CAN AFFORD TO LOSE

WHEREVER YOU GO
protect your cash with

AMERICAN EXPRESS
TRAVELERS CHEQUES

EASIEST TO CASH • REFUND IF IOST

MANUFACTURERS AND TRADERS TRUST COMPANY

MEMBER FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION

-O W.INTCO tm U » A

Figure 2. A different blotter from Manufacturers & Traders Trust Company advertising American Express travelers
cheques.

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January - March 2014

6 REASONS WHY

"It's smart to Pay by Check"

1•SAFETY

2 • CONVENIENCE

3 • ECONOMY

4•ACCURACY

5 • A BONAFIDE RECEIPT

6 • CREDIT STANDING

FIRST CITIZENS BANK
and Trust Company

MEMBER FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION

Figure 3. First Citizens Bank & Trust Company used ink blotters to encourage its depositors to use checks.

_

ftis is the Exact Size

of the

NEW U.S. PAPER CURRENCY

to be in circulation after July 1st 1929

By reducing the size of the present bills just a little
, the Government will save a large amount every year.
J Try to reduce some of your expenses just a Iittle.

mm ADD INTEREST TO YOUR DEPOSITS.

MECHANICS & FARMERS SAVINGS BANK

930 MAIN STREET BRIDGEPORT, CONN.
THE BANK WITH THE CHIME CLOCK .

Figure 4. The Mechanics & Farmers Savings Bank combined self-advertising on this blotter with the service of showing
the new size of U.S. currency to be introduced in July of 1929.

The 38th annual International Paper Money Show will be held at the Cook Convention Center, East Hall, 255 N. Main,
Memphis, Tennessee on June 13-15, 2014.

An ASCC meeting will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday. Please check the show program for the location.

THE CHECK COLLECTOR is a quarterly publication of the ASCC.

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January - March 2014

Collecting Territorial Paper - Part 8

by Jim Adams

Nebraska became a territory May 30, 1864 and a state March 1, 1867. The earliest Nebraska banks appear to have done
little besides issuing wildcat banknotes. As one contemporary observer noted, ’’Who in his senses would think of intrusting
money in the vaults of such institutions if past experience would teach us anything? We would dread them as a highway
robber, for hundreds who have had confidnece in them have woke up in the morning and have found the body of the
soulless thing had evaporated and that there was nothing to represent their pocketful of bills, but an old stove, the counter,
and a broom.”

In 1857 state laws were passed which allowed the formation of wildcat banks which appeared not to be accountable to any
regulatory body. Banks that had been chartered prior to that time could remain so.

The Western Exchange Fire and Marine Insurance Company was the first bank to be chartered in Nebraska Territory, early
in 1855. It was a branch of Greene, Ware and Benton of Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Thomas H. Benton, Jr. served as President,
Leroy Tuttle was Cashier and A.U. Wyman was the Teller. Interestingly enough, Tuttle and Wyman each went on to serve
as Treasurer of the United States.

The Western Exchange Fire and Marine went under in the panic of 1857, leaving behind some very attractive notes.

fcjU m r n r . vk ! *: ( i3&ooMo .

4021

ijh

|EG3: /S'/V/ /yy/’/yy

Tr f '/w

/y/ /// ///a

These are demand notes on deposits of the Bishop Hill Colony (see TCC 87 - July - September 2008.) Bishop Hill was
an ill-fated Swedish commune in Illinois which endured cold, cholera, the murder of its founder, and various financial
setbacks, one of which was devastating losses in the panic of 1857. If a significant amount of the commune’s savings was
deposited in the Western Exchange, most or all of that would have been lost in the collapse of the bank.

YYYl

I HAW"

////////;

YrMfic Z7v//r a
/j/j/syY* 9////

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Number 109

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January - March 2014

OMAHA CITV,

•yiiy i,rj o;Oi ff.

f /r

'Z/rfr.Ws; "fy/

■m^s

Jffag

<^3$SS^

4117

rxco nroHATE V ifi:,

/J>P lit /r///s'/7Y//Y7 r l
// rj/Z/ y/,/y

OMAHA fHTY, ly'vr^r.Yg;^//' ,|l|

FIVE nftllARS

-irpfifx a *rrcA

urn*

/// /////.

. — •':•• r.4 --y y . .// / ' /

0.ftljtIi$;^Hr¥V. I r/r////YV' ,2r/);/

These notes bear a date of November 2, 1857. This is strange, as the bank failed on September 23, 1857. Either these were
printed well in advance of their intended use, and the members of Bishop Hill Colony "escaped a bullet" by not putting
their money into the bank there, or that was some sort of redemption date, in which case the bank was out of business by
the time it was reached. From numerous examples on eBay some of these are signed by Leroy Tuttle as Secretary, but not
by anyone as President, so they were ready to issue, but not issued. This may indicate that the Bishop Hill deposits were
there, waiting on issuance of the notes, which did not happen. We do know that Bishop Hill lost a significant amount of
money in the panic, and their dealings with Western Exchange may have accounted for at least part of it.

The City of Omaha issued currency notes in 1857 to finance construction of the Territorial Capitol building. They are
known in several denominations, all signed by Jesse Lowe, Mayor of Omaha at the time. Lowe is credited with naming the
city, and built the first bank building in the city in 1855.

The city issued $50,000 worth of notes, and when that was exhausted, another $50,000 worth. It is reported that the notes
were valued at par until the building was well along, then began to fall in value until they were next to worthless for
anything but paying taxes. That is one reason that notes like the one shown on the next page are available in good shape,
at reasonable prices.

THE CHECK COLLECTOR is a quarterly publication of the ASCC.

15

Number 109

THE CHECK COLLECTOR

January - March 2014

Not all of the banking history of Territorial Nebraska is dire. In 1857, when nearly all of the banks in the Territory closed
their doors, two or three survived. One of these was the Bank of Dakota City, operated by Augustus Kountze, one of the
Kountze brothers who became prominent bankers. During the panic the Bank of Dakota City redeemed all of its notes at
par. The brothers opened a banking business in Omaha as early as 1875.

The stamp on this Kountze Brothers check partially covers the wording, ’’Dealers in Gold Dust, Land Warrants and
Exchanges.” Note that it is payable in currency. One would think that with prudent management a banking business starting
fresh in the midst of a financial panic could make some very good deals.

There were only seven banks operating in the Territory of Nebraska from 1857 to 1865. Other than obsolete bank notes, a
territorial collector does not have an easy time finding Nebraska items.

To be continued..

THE CHECK COLLECTOR is a quarterly publication of the ASCC.

16

Number 109

THE CHECK COLLECTOR

January - March 2014

Checks with Safety Tints and Safety Paper

Michael Reynard

Author of The Complete Guide to Check Colleting

Safety tints on paper checks consist of fine lines of various geometric designs that are printed with colored inks. In
contrast, checks made of safety paper are uniformly treated with inks and geometric designs. The purpose of safety tints
or safety paper on paper checks was to render them more difficult to counterfeit and improve the ability of an observer to
detect a tampered document.

In the 1800s, the process for printing safety tints on checks was usually performed with a printing plate that was either
engraved or etched with acid. Printing was usually performed with a rose engine or pantographic machine. Checks with
safety tints or safety paper were formed with a geometrical background or treated with a chemical agent prior to making
additional impressions.

8371

'WM '1TN

; ; . LATHE ; j -

UTneeiAnt

tttw I

l.’rfi. " P i*rh. S,.S.V HmimiS ufepTW.

Treftsttrer.

Denmsan&BnTWii,Lilh.,2 Liberty St.,N.Y. Patent Safety Tint.

Check printed in the 1890s by Dennison and Brown Lithographers for Oneida Valley National Bank showing fine horizontal
lines that are barely perceptible. The bottom margin of the check denotes the printed horizontal lines as a patented safety
tint. The magnified area is enhanced to show the safety tint more clearly.

References

1) Hendrichs, John. Improvement in Safety-Paper for Bank-Checks or other Documents of Value. United States
patent 223,136 issued December 30, 1879

2) Speare, Jack W. Protecting the Nation’s Money. Rochester, New York: Todd Protectograph Company, 1918

3) Wilson, James R. Safety-Paper, United States patent 359,148 issued March 29, 1910

4) Woodhull, Daniel E. Safety-Tint Paper. United States patent 1,457,805 issued June 5, 1923

THE CHECK COLLECTOR is a quarterly publication of the ASCC.

17

Number 109

THE CHECK COLLECTOR

January - March 2014

Letter to the Editor

Dear Bob,

Your "Find in the Market Place" published in The Check Collector Number 108 (page 18) reminded me of a similar invoice
of a check printer that I bought from dealer Larry Marsh a number of years ago. Like yours from Henry Seibert & Bro. in
New York, mine from Hatch & Co. in New York includes a charge for stamps. However, mine has a charge for stamps as
a separate line item. One might assume that since the bill was for 3,000 drafts, the charge for stamps would be for 3,000
stamps, or $60 worth. The bill for stamps was actually $66, so perhaps there was a 10% surcharge.

Hatch & Co. produced a number of different checks for the federal government in the 1860’s before the BEP got into the
check printing business. Some of these are often available as relatively inexpensive unissued remainders. Issued examples
are harder to find. Copied herein is one of my favorite Hatch & Co. products, an uncashed federal check issued for 50 in
1864 that is signed by F.E. Spinner, who was Treasurer of the United States from 4/17/1861 to 6/30/1875.

THE CHECK COLLECTOR is a quarterly publication of the ASCC.

18

Number 109

THE CHECK COLLECTOR

January - March 2014

Best regards,

David A. Brase

Arizona Notes

by Melvin Dill

%tt£& mi,, Msuua,

m Israwr

x?4 P ^

This check, drawn on the First National Bank of Tucson, was signed by Charles R. Drake, who was born in Clark County,
Illinois in 1843. During the Civil War he was Acting Masters Mate under Admiral Porter. When Drake first arrived in Tucson
in 1871 he was a steward with the U.S. Army Hospital connected with Fort Lowell. He served as assistant postmaster and
then Pima County Recorder 1881-85. He was a strong supporter of the Southern Pacific Railroad, which was built into
Tucson in 1881.

During his thirty years in Arizona Drake served several times in the territorial legislature and was a delegate to the
Republican convention in Philadelphia in 1900. He then moved to Los Angeles, where he engaged in several business
enterprises and was a member of the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce. Date of death unknown, possibly 1910.

Editor’s note: On an internet site referring to Drake Park in Long Beach, California, which was donated to the city by the
same Charles R. Drake, his date of death is given as 1928.

THE CHECK COLLECTOR is a quarterly publication of the ASCC.

19

Number 109

THE CHECK COLLECTOR

January - March 2014

Inventory Update
C16

Bacon, Stickneys and Company, Albany, New York. Printed in a light green. No printer shown.

More Bull

Willison & Greene, Bankers were not the only bank to offer bull-headed checks.

The Carroll Exchange Bank of Carrollton, Missouri also liked to sling the bull...

THE CHECK COLLECTOR is a quarterly publication of the ASCC.

20

Number 109

THE CHECK COLLECTOR

January - March 2014

Pennsylvania Banks - 24

by Peter Robin

I request the help of all readers in adding information to these listings as well as, of course, the counties to come. I can be
reached by e-mail at peterrobin@verizon.net or by regular mail at Box 353, Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004.

Bank Name

Stamp

Years

Printer

Colors

Vignette/User

Size in mm

Philadelphia - part 9

Stephen Girard, Banker

None

1820

K&S

Black on White

None

160 x 60 mm.

Same

None

1822

JTS

Black on White

Stephen Girard, Banker, left

150 x 65 mm.

Same

None

1831

None

Black on White

Stephen Girard, left

160 x 60 mm.

Tradesmans Bank

1866

JHe

Black on White

T de la Cuesta

Tradesman N. B.

H3

1871

WMc

Red on White

Bank Bulding?

cut

Same

J4

1872

WMc

Red on White

Bank building

183 x 67 mm.

Same

Jll

1874

WMc

Red on White

Bank building

190 x 66 mm.

Same K6 1875 WMc Red on White Bank building 185 x65 mm.

Same FI 1875 WMc Red on White Bank building 190 x65 mm.

Same

G1

1877

WMc

Red on White

Bank building

Same

G1

1879

CPS

Black on Green or Blue

John C. Clark & Sons

177 x 68 mm.

Same

G1

1883

NBE

Black on Blue

W Horace Hepburn

195 x80 mm.

Same

R164

1901

None

Black on White

Edward H. Kennedy, Dec.

185 x 78 mm.

Same

R164

1901

None

Blue on Green

None

195 x77 mm.

Trust Company
of North America

X7

190-

None

Black on Lemon

None

155 x 62 mm.

THE CHECK COLLECTOR is a quarterly publication of the ASCC.

21

Number 109

THE CHECK COLLECTOR

January - March 2014

Announcements

Election of Board Members. I did not receive any nominations for the Board by February 15. Therefore, in accordance
with our bylaws the terms of Bob Hohertz, Lyman Hensley, Mike Kazanjian and myself are extended two years until the
end of 2015.

Annual Dues. For those of you who have not yet gotten around to it please pay your annual dues. Donations are also
welcome.

ASCC Meeting at Memphis IPMS, June 13-15. The ASCC will meet in Memphis again this year, at 10:00 am on Saturday,
June 14, 2014.These meetings have been very lively the last several years. Bring checks you want to sell or trade, plus
something for show and tell.

Treasurer's Report

January 1 to December 31, 2013

Beginning Treasury Balance:

Plus: Income:

Dues:

Advertising:

Interest Earned:

Donations:

$2,352.00

360.00

26.29

170.00

$3,733.38

Total Income:

$2,908.29

+2,908.29

Less: Expenses:

Postage:

Printing:

Office Expenses:

Fees, PayPal:

Fees, Filing:

Dues & Subscriptions:

$250.00 * Note 2

1,674.85 * Note 3

51.90

23.12

110.00

35.00

Total Expenses:

2,144.87

-2,144.87

Ending Account Balances:

Checking:

CD (36 month):

CD (12 month):

PayPal Account:

$1,362.56

1,552.97

1,480.39

100.88

Treasury Balance:

$4,496.80

$4,496.80

Notes 1) $2,908.29 - 2,144.87 = $763.42 Net Operating Gain.

2) Postage amount is through 3rd quarter.

3) Printing amount is for three issues of TCC.

4) Invoices for 4th quarter printing and postage of $644.60 paid

5) $763.42 - 644.60 = $68.82 Effective Net Operating Gain.

in January.

Current checking account balance after paying noted invoices: $667.96

Respectfully Submitted, ^ ^ 7

b^LA/***

uicKiNaven, rreasurer

THE CHECK COLLECTOR is a quarterly publication of the ASCC.

22

Number 109

THE CHECK COLLECTOR

January - March 2014

Member Exchange

Collector seeks Oklahoma Territory & Indian Territory checks. Top prices paid. Bob Fritz, P.O. Box 1548, Sun
City, AZ 85372-1548.

New member is interested in pre-1950 Wisconsin checks. Will purchase or trade for any needed. Tom Casper,
S95W13453 St. Andrews Dr., Muskego, WI 53150. E-mail tcasper57@hotmail.com.

Charter member would like to obtain a check from the ’’Washington National Bank” or the Telegraphers National
Bank", both of Saint Louis, MO. Will purchase or trade. Ron Horstman, 5010 Timber Lane, Gerald, MO 63037.

Wanted: Checks from dealers in Indian relics or fossils - or signed by archaeologists or paleontologists. Or other
related paper. Write: Stan Raugh, 4217 *th Avenue, Temple, PA 19570-1805.

Wanted: "Manuscript” aka completely handwritten checks. All states and dates (generally pre-1900. Sheldon
Rabin, 2820 Breckenridge Circle, Aurora, IL 60504, sheldonrabin@yahoo.com.

Dealer wants checks signed by celebrities. No quantity too large. Myron Ross, Heroes & Legends, 18034 Ventura
Blvd., Encino, CA 91316

Collector seeks checks autographed by famous people. Top prices paid. Michael Reynard, 1301 20th Street #260,
Santa Monica, CA 90404. reynard@ucla.edu

Wanted: Revenue stamped (RN) checks from Washington, D.C., Alaska and Wyoming and embossed revenue
checks from Canada. Peter Martin, POB 6074, Fredericksburg, VA 22403; E-mail pmartin2525@yahoo.com

Collector seeks pre-1800 checks and promissory notes. Please email images and prices to Gerard Smith at gerard@
gerardsmith.com

Exchange postings will be taken from ASCC members who are collectors only. Postings of 20 words or less are free; please
remit $3 each issue for postings of 21 to fifty words. Name and address do not count toward the 20 words.

Neither the Editor nor the ASCC can be responsible for compliance with any promises made in postings, or in response to
them. Be very clear as to the value you place on your material when discussing a trade. Fairness and common courtesy
are to be expected, but common sense must rule.

Previous Total 164

New Members 1

Reinstatements 0

Resignations 1

Deaths 0

Undelierable 0

No Forwarding Address 0

Current Total 164

Secretary’s Report

Lyman Hensley
NEW MEMBER

1911 Wayne von Hardenberg
Box 290105

Wethersfield, CT 06109
by Robert Spence

RESIGNED

1610 Michael Bird

2 (1780-1865), 4, 20, 21, 22, 23, 31

THE CHECK COLLECTOR is a quarterly publication of the ASCC.

23

Number 109

THE CHECK COLLECTOR

January - March 2014

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• Online! Visit us at

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Custom Products
Archival Repair Tape
Stocks & Bonds
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Revenues on Documents
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ABNCo Engraved Sheets
Reference Books
Bank & Banking Histories
Books on Engraving,
Counterfeiting, More.

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opine@lelepoil.eoin
503-245-3659 Fax: 503-244-2977

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Announcing:

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d * is ?

« The N &tio n a I Ban k,

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e

fViuDiiMiliiiin

$

S OLKNOtife MINN.....187

M mkcwaicts N a t ional Bank,

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NO. -

When it comes to finding the difficult material you need (like wonderful
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Auctions At Our Site!

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P.O. Box 728 • Leesport PA 19533-0728
(610) 9266-6200 • Fax: (610) 926-0120
Email: eric@revenuer.com

www.ericjackson.com

THE CHECK COLLECTOR is a quarterly publication of the ASCC.

24

THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF CHECK COLLECTORS

MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION

The undersigned hereby applies for membership in the American Society of Check Collectors, Inc., and agrees to comply
with its Charter and By-Laws

Enclosed with this application is $15 for dues ($20 for U.S. mailing of The Check Collector by First Class Mail, $20 for
Canada, $25 for other foreign countries,) OR electronic membership only, any country, $13 (no magazine will be sent - can
be read online or downloaded.) U.S. funds only. Please make remittance payable to: The American Society of Check
Collectors, Inc. OR pay by PayPal on the ASCC website: www.ascheckcollectors.org.

Name:_

Address:_

City:_ State:_ Zip:_ Country:_

E-mail address:

New Application_ Reinstatement_

Collector_ Collector/Dealer_ Dealer _

Signed:_ Date:_

I found out about the ASCC through:_

If paying by other than PayPal , please complete this form, enclose remittance for membership and mail to the Secretary:

Lyman Hensley, 473 East Elm, Sycamore, IL 60178, USA

Please circle the numbers that indicate your areas of collecting interest. This information will be listed with your name on
our membership roster.

1. Checks, General

2. Checks, U.S.

Region or States of Interest:

3. U.S. Government Checks

4. Miscellaneous Fiscal Documents

Bank Drafts

Bills of Exchange

Certificates of Deposit

Promissory Notes

Receipts

Warrants

5. Checks, Great Britain

6. Checks, Canada

7. Checks, World

Region or Countries of Interest:

8. Travelers Checks and Money Orders

9. Specimen Checks

10. Ration Checks

11. Refund/Rebate Checks

12. Other: _

14. Counter and Modem Checks

20. Vignettes

21. Autographs

22. Railroads, Steamboats, Mining

23. Banking History

24. Security Printers and Printing

25. Check Protectors and Cancel Devices

26. Wells Fargo History

30. Stocks and Bonds

31. Revenue Stamped Documents

32. Emergency Scrip